File box



avrm March 22, 1960 A. M. SARGENT 2,929,530

FILEBOX Filed D90. 13, 1954 FILE BOX Albert M. Sargent, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 13, 1954, Serial No. 474,703

2 Ciaims. (Cl. 220-22) This invention relates to containers and, more particularly, to an improved tile box for storing photographic transparencies or slides and the like.

An object of the invention is to overcome disadvantages in prior containers of the indicated character and to provide an improved le box incorporating improved means for preventing the entrance of dust, dirt and other foreign material into the file box.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved le box incorporating improved means for preventing inadvertent opening of the lile box when the le box is in an inverted position. l

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved le box incorporating improved support` means which facilitates the insertion and withdrawal of photographic transparencies and the like with a minimum of time and eiort. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved le box that is pleasing in appearance, durable and economical to manufacture and assemble.

The above as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the tile box embodying the present invention, and showing the same in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the tile box illustrated in Fig. I, taken on the line 2--2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the tile box illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the file box illustrated in Fig. l, and showing the same in a partially opened position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the tile box illustrated in Fig. l, and showing the same in an inverted position; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the tile box illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the same in still another position.

Referring to the drawing, the present invention is shown incorporated in a file box, generally designated 10,

particularly adapted for use in storing photographic slides or transparencies, although it will be understood that the present invention is applicable to other uses. The le box 10 may be made in a wide variety of sizes and lengths so as to accommodate any desired size and number of sides of any desired character.

'The file box 10 is comprised of a body member, generally designated 12, and a closure member, generally designated 14, each of which may be made of plastic, wood, metal or other suitable material.

The body member 12 is open at the top and includes Vspaced substantially parallel side walls 16 and 18 integrallyl joined by end walls 20 and 22 and a bottom wall 24, the side, end and bottom walls" defining a chamber 26.

For the purpose of strengthening the body member 12 and to provide a pleasing appearance, a plurality of Patented Mar. 22, 1960 fice spaced vertically extending ribs 28 and 30 are provided on the side walls 16 and 18, the ribs 30 being of greater width than the ribs 2S in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated. A plurality of spaced vertically extending grooves 32 and 34 are formed in the inner surfaces of the side walls 16 and 18, respectively, the grooves 32 in the side wall 16 being aligned with the grooves 34 in the side wall 18 and the longitudinal axes of the ribs and grooves being substantially co-planar and lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the planes of the side walls 16 and 18. As shown in Fig. 2, the upper portions of the side Walls 16 and 18 define generally dovetail-shaped ways 36 and 38 which are adapted to receive the closure member 14. While in the preferred embodiment illustrated the ways 36 and 38 are shown as being of generally dovetail shape, it will be understood that other types of interlocking ways may be employed. The ways 36 and 38 extend longitudinally of the body member 12 from the end wall 20 thereof to a position near, but spaced from the end Wall 22 thereof, the ways 36 and 38 diverging slightly as they approach the end wall 22 so that the closure member is held securely in the closed position when mounted on the ways 36 and 3S.

As shown in Figs. l and 4, the end portion 40 of each of the side walls 16 and 18 slopes upwardly and terminates at a position above the upper edge of the remaining portions of the side walls 16 and 18, the portions 40 or the side walls 16 and 18 being adapted to overlap complementary portions of the side Walls of the closure member 14. The upper portion of the end Wall 22 denes a recess 42 which extends transversely of the body member 12 and the ends of which are closed by the side walls 16 and 18 while the upper portion of the end wall 20 defines a recess 44 which extends transversely of the body member 12, the ends of the recess 44 being open.

As shown in Figs. l and 3, the end Wall 22 also deiines generally dovetail-shaped ways 46 and 48 which are adapted to receive the closure member 14, as will be described hereafter in greater detail. While in the preferred embodiment illustrated the Ways 46 and 48 are shown as being of generally dovetail shape, it will be understood that other types of ways may be employed. The ways 46 and 48 extend upwardly of the body member 12, as viewed in Fig. l, from the bottom wall 24 to a position near, but spaced from, the upper edge of the end wall 22, the ways 46 and 48 terminating at abutment stops 49, and diverging slightly as they approach the abutment stops 49 so as to steady the closure member when the closure member is positioned on the ways 46 and 48.

The closure member 14 includes spaced substantially parallel side walls 50 and 52 integrally joined by end walls 54 and 56 and a top wall 58, the side, end and top walls of the closure member defining an open bottom chamber 59. As shown in Fig. l2, the lower portions of the side walls 50 and S2 are configured to complement the ways 36 and 38 provided on the side walls 16 and 18 on the body member 12 and slide longitudinally of the ways 36 and 38. The ways 46 and 48 provided on the end Wall 22 are spaced apart substantially the same distance as the ,waysV 36 and 38 and the lower portions of the side walls 50 and 52f of the closure member 14 are also adapted to mate with and'slide on the ways 46 and 48. The end wall 54 is provided with a recess 60 which isadapted to receive the upper portion of the end wall 22 of the body member 12 while the end wall 56 of the closure member 14 is provided with a recess 62 which is adapted to receive the upper portionof the-end wall 20 of the body member 12. With such a construction, the lower edge portions of the side and end walls of the closure member 14 overlap the upper edge` portions of the side and end walls of the body member 12 when the le box is in a closed position so as to form a seal to prevent the entrance of dust, and other foreign matter into the tile box.

The closure member 14V may be removed ,from the body member 12 when the tile boxis in vanupright posi-` tion, as shown in Fig. l,Y by sliding the closure member along'the ways 36 andV 38 toward the end wall20. As shown in Fig. 6, the closure member 14 may beslidably mounted on the ways 46 and 48 so as to prop the body member 12 in an inclined position to facilitate insertionv and removal of photographic slides or transparencies from the body member'12.

In order to divide the' chamber 26intocompartrnents and to facilitate the tiling of photographic transparencies, aplurality of relatively thinat partition members 64 are provided, the marginal side .portions `of which'are to open and close said chamber, Va verticallyextending vpartition member disposed in said chamber in'spaced subright position,fthe'h`eight of said partition member being Y adapted to be insertedY in theV grooves 32 and 34 defined bythe side walls 16 and 18 of the body member 12. The

lower edges of the partitionme'mbers 64,as'viewed in YFig. `2, rest on spaced longitudinally extending ribsV 65 provided on Vthe bottom wall V24of the body member-12,

the ribs projecting into thechamber 26-and also serving as support railsvfor the photographic slides. TheV marginal slide portions of the partition members 64have an easy sliding tit in the grooves Y32 and 3:4Y and the transverse dimensions of the upper portions 66 oflthepar'ti'tion members are reduced so that the partition members are 1 permitted to slide longitudinallyof the grooves toward the top wall 58 of the closure member. vWhenthev iile box isinverted, as shown in Fig. 5, lthe partition member, such as 68, adjacentthe end wall22 -will .slidein the rooves 32 and 34 toward the top'wall 58 of Vthe elosure member 14 and will engage' the end wall 54 of thef closure member 14 so as to stop the slidingmovement of the closure memberrand .prevent .inadvertent opening; of thel closure member when the Ytile box .is in an inverted position.

As shownvin Figs. 2 Vand 3,- thewalls of the body mem-r berV 12 and the closure member,14,'as for example, the top wall 58 and the end wall 20, may be provided ,with suitable recesses, such as 70 and 72, for the vreception of suitable labels or other indicia. Y

From the above description, itwill be apparent that the present invention provides a lle box which incorporates improved means for preventing 'the entrance of dust, dirt and.other.foreign matter'into the ile box; 'which incorporates improved means for supporting the body portion ofthe file Abox Vinan angular position to facilitate Yinsertion and removal of the'contents'ofthe tileV box; vand whichiincorporates improved means'for, preventing inadvertentY opening: ofthe `ileY Vbox when'the tile box is inan inverted position. Furthermore, the present invention overcomes disadvantages `of the boxes havingv hingedly connected closure members which ltend to unbalance and tip the boxes when the boxes areYin the open positionand which, in a projecting position, may be hit vor struck thereby-.causingV the box to tip .and the contents to lspill therefrom. Y

While a preferred embodiment-of the invention'has beenl shown and described, itwill betunderstood that various changes and modifications may be made without departingmfrom'the spiritof thefinvention. What is claimedis:

l. In a le lboxfor photographic transparencies, the

tically extending ,endV walls joinedby a bottom` Wall and defining kan open top chamber, aclosuremember having a pair'of spacedside'wallsand a pair of spaced vend .walls Vcombination'nincluding ajbod'y having. a parosp'aced, .verticallyrextending side wallsand a pair' ofisp'aced, verl joined by a top wall,4 said side walls of4 said body and said sidewalls of vsaid closure member havinginterlocking ways Vextending along Vopposite sides of said" chamber and 'supporting Said Clsufe 'mf-1alberon said 9dr for'slielis greater than the heightf Ysaid side Walls of said closure member, saidV partition member simultaneously engaging said one end wall of said closure member and said side Walls of said body when said file boxis jin an upright said closure member ,on said ways when said bodyl is n an inverted position.

2.v In Va file boxfor Yphotographic transparencies, lthe combination including a bodyhaving a pair of spaced', verticallyextending side walls and a pair,of,spacedver vtically extending end ywalls joined by a horizontally disposed bottom wall and delining an open top chamber,a closure member havingfa pairof spaced, verticallyV extend- ,ing side walls and apair of ,spaced, verticallyY extending endwalls joined by a horizontally disposed top Wall, -said side walls ofv saidbody and said side walls of said closure y member having interlocking ways extending alonguoppositesides Fofrsaid chamber whereby,n saidV closure member is supported onsaidbodyffor,sliding movement between an open positionV and a closedpositionto .open and .close said Vcha'rnb\er,por`tions of saidV side walls of said closure member overlapping portionsgvrof said side walls of said `body and portions of said end walls of said lclosure member overlapping portionsV of said,V end walls of said body when said Vclosure member is in the closed position to provide a seal against the entrance of dust into said chamber, a vertically extending partition member disposed in said chamber in spaced substantially parallel relationship to said end walls of said body and having an upper edge disposedV above said side walls of said body when said le box is in an upright position, said partition member being slidablyksnpported by said sidewalls of said body'so as to be slidable under the iniluence of gravity,l oneot'said end walls `of saidclosure member terminatingY above said partition member Yand the other of said end walls of Vsaid closuremember terminating below the upper edge f said partition memberrwhen said`fifle box is in an upright Yposition,thegheight ofsaid partition member being greater thanthe heightrofjsaid side walls, of said closure member, said partition member projecting beyond said side walls of saidbody and simultaneously engaging saidone endr wallofsaid closure member and said side wallsof said body and limiting the sliding movement of said closure Amember on said ways when said iile box is in anf inverted position. i

References Cited in the le of ,this patent UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F @URECTION Patent Nml 2929V53O March 22V 1960 Albert NL, Sargent It is hereby certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column l? line 1"(FI for when said file box is in an upright" read and limiting the sliding movement of -no Signed and sealed this 6th day of September 1960o (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W, SWIDER ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents ttesting Officer 

